At least five people had been killed in the area since mid-September by lynch mobs accusing them of vampirism.

Mobs searching for vampires have been mounting road blocks in the district, raising security concerns.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world (Picture: Getty Images)

‘These districts have severely been affected by the ongoing stories of blood sucking and possible existence of vampires,’ the UN Department on Safety and Security (UNDSS) said in a security report on the Phalombe and Mulanje districts.

The Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Florence Rolle, said: ‘Some UN staff have relocated while others are still in the districts depending on locations of their operations.

‘UNDSS is continuing to monitor the situation closely to ensure all affected UN staff are back in the field as soon as possible.